Meiji period

During the Meiji Restoration era, Japan underwent many political, social and economic changes. These changes were truly revolutionary and occurred throughout the decade following the year 1868. These changes occurred in the same time period as many other countries all over the world. However, in Japan’s case, rather the commoners taking power from the monarchy, aristocracy was the one that initiated the changes which led to this time period in Japan being called “aristocratic revolution” (Grant, 62). These are some of the political, social and economic changes during the Meiji era. A major political change of the Meiji regime was the abolition of the daimyo domains. While the Meiji revolutionaries were happy that the Tokugawa fell easily,…

Introduction Fukoku-Kyōhei, meaning “enrich the country and strengthen the military” quickly became the motto for a reinvigorated Japan stepping onto the global stage commanded by the West, while also acting as the mold for which they would inevitably fit through their rather abrupt transformation: The Meiji Restoration (Christensen 1). What may have ultimately began as an endeavor to modernize, may have also become the trigger for exponential societal change and an undertaking that would…

In his novel titled Kokoro, Natsume Soseki explores the values of both the traditional society and the modern ideals brought about in the Meiji Era. The Meiji Era is a period of Japanese history (1868-1912) in which Emperor Meiji took the throne and enforced extreme social change. Prior to the Meiji Era, the Japanese culture withheld Confucian values that placed emphasis on a harmonious, collective society, education, extreme respect to authorities, and focus on human relationships rather than…

Japan’s Edo period, lasted from 1603 to 1867, would be the final era of traditional Japanese government, culture and society before the Meiji Restoration of 1868; when the Tokugawa shoguns and citizens transformed the country into the modern era. For instance, Japan during Edo feared that European missionaries might spread out the Christianity in Japan, therefore they decided to isolate themselves to defend their culture, society and religion. The Edo period then began to be challenged as Japan…

In the late 1860’s samurai intellectuals were increasingly in favor of Western ideas being installed in Japan in order to raise their nation to the level of the US and of Europeans nations. They believed that to accomplish this they needed to reform their education system, their government and their society. During this period, this movement which originated from the Meiji’s government Westernizing changes in culture (clothing, nutrition and western weaponry) went beyond the government’s…

During the era of Meiji Japan, Japan opened its doors and became influenced by societies like Europe. In Sanshirō: a Novel by Natsume Sōseki, Japan became influenced by Europe’s ideas of individuality and humanism. The people in Meiji Japan believed and accepted to a great extend the European narrative of the Enlightenment of humanism, people being seen as a human who determine their own destiny, individuality, which meant people do what is in their self-interest, people were logical and…

With The increased spread of Buddhist and Confucian values “that regulated women to a subordinate position[s]” women saw a sudden stripping of many of their rights (131). Women of this time period were “transformed from people who could have property to people that both were and could have property” as shown through the handling of rape cases where there was more emphasis placed on the “mediation of property transmission and the maintenance of social order, rather than the individual justice for…

In the period from the Tokugawa era to the post-WWII era, Japanese society saw a dramatic shift in the prevalence of Japanese militarism and the existence of the traditional Japanese war mentality. Deeply rooted in samurai culture, Japanese militarism served as a foundation for Japanese society throughout the Tokugawa era; the class system gave way to a ‘warrior-elite’ class that dominated the social hierarchy. This pervasive warrior-dominated culture persisted into the Meiji period. Japanese…

Over the following centuries the power of the emperor and the imperial court gradually declined and passed to the military clans and their armies of samurai warriors. The Minamoto clan under Minamoto no Yoritomo emerged victorious from the Genpei War of 1180–85. After seizing power, Yoritomo set up his capital in Kamakura and took the title of shogun. In 1274 and 1281, the Kamakura shogunate withstood two Mongol invasions, but in 1333 it was toppled by a rival claimant to the shogunate, ushering…

The Meiji Restoration transformed and introduced Japan to an industrialised western culture which influenced Japan’s social structure and values. The Meji restoration brought tremendous social change as millions of people were suddenly able to choose their occupation and move without restriction. By providing a new financially secure environment, the government increased it’s investment in new industries and technologies. As Japan citizens began to live in cities that introduced them to abroad…